John Calvin Commentary Hebrews 13:2

"Forget not to show love unto strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." — Hebrews 13:2 (ASV)

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, etc. This duty of humanity has also nearly ceased to be properly observed among people; for the ancient hospitality, celebrated in histories, is unknown to us, and inns now provide accommodation for strangers. But he is not speaking so much about the practice of hospitality as it was then practiced by the rich; rather, he commends entertaining the miserable and the needy, as at that time many were fugitives who had left their homes for the name of Christ.

And to commend this duty further, he adds that angels have sometimes been entertained by those who thought they were receiving only men. I have no doubt that this refers to Abraham and Lot; for, being in the habit of showing hospitality, they, without knowing or thinking of any such thing, entertained angels; thus their houses were honored in no ordinary way. And undoubtedly, God proved that hospitality was especially acceptable to him, when he rendered such a reward to Abraham and to Lot. If anyone were to object and say that this rarely happened, the obvious answer to this is that not mere angels are received, but Christ himself, when we receive the poor in his name. In the words in Greek there is a beautiful alliteration that cannot be expressed in Latin.